We listen back to some of the voices in the news this week.

Our reporters' roundtable looks ahead at the key issues that the 2012 state legislature will take up over the next few months and we listen back to the voices in the news this week.

VPR's Bob Kinzel talks with reporter John Dillon about several environmental bills that passed the legislature, a few that didn't make it through.

House Speaker Shap Smith provides an outlook on the budget, the tax bill and the governor's health care bill. Also, Congressman Peter Welch discusses the causes of and solutions for rising gas prices.

Democrats are in the majority in the Vermont House and Senate - and that's a scenario that makes Republican lawmakers work even harder to shape the key bills being debated at the Statehouse.

A number of high-profile bills will be emerging from committee in the Vermont House in the coming weeks, and House Speaker Shap Smith discusses them and takes your questions on Vermont Edition.

Governor Peter Shumlin delivered his first budget address to the legislature this afternoon. He described his message as "sobering but necessary".

VPR's Bob Kinzel, reporter John Dillon, WCAX Senior Political reporter Kristin Carlson and Louis Porter of the Vermont Press Bureau take an overall look back at the recent legislative session

After a full day of debate on a wide number of issues, the 2010 Legislature adjourned last night just before midnight. Democratic leaders and Governor Jim Douglas reached an agreement late yesterday afternoon on next year's budget and a key tax bill paved the way for adjournment.

Before adjourning late last night, the Senate engaged in an active debate over legislation that makes changes to a program that allows a majority of Vermonters to pay their education taxes based on their income and not the value of their property. 

The job of state game wardens may be more about managing people than managing animals. We discuss the law enforcement work of game wardens. Also, Senator Patrick Leahy on the Supreme Court nomination of Elena Kagan.  And an update from VPR's Bob Kinzel on the Legislature's work over the weekend.

VPR's John Dillon talks with Bob Kinzel on Vermont Edition about the outlook for adjournment as the Legislature heads into the weekend.

Lawmakers are in the midst of a debate over whether power produced by Hydro-Quebec should be considered "renewable." We'll hear from both sides of the debate. Also, an update from the Statehouse as the Legislature works toward adjournment.

The Legislature has given its approval to the first major bill of the 2010 session. The House and Senate on Tuesday both quickly approved legislation that would allow heavier trucks to use Vermont's interstate highway system.

The 2010 Legislative session opened today with an important budget agreement between Governor Jim Douglas and Democratic leaders.

The head of the Vermont National Guard says Vermont soldiers face a difficult, possibly more dangerous, assignment in Afghanistan. Adjutant General Michael Dubie says the task has shifted from primarily training Afghan troops, to more of a combat mission.

Vermont lawmakers are returning to Montpelier for the second half of their two-year term, with filling an estimated $150 million budget hole, jump-starting job creation and resolving the future of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant tops on legislative leaders' agenda.

VPR's Jane Lindholm talks with reporter, Bob Kinzel about the special legislative session where the governor is likey to veto the stat's budget for the first time in history.